Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 667,I78. Patented Feb. 5, |90I. C. S. BARTHOLF.

ACETYLENE GAS' GENERATOR.

(Application led Ap'r. 30, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No llodel.)

No. 667,|78 Patented Feb'. 5, |901.

C.- S. BARTHOLF.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Apr. 80, 1900.) ("0 "mm a sheets-snm 2.

Patented Feb. r5, |90I..

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. BAR'TI-IOLF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,178, dated February 5, 1901. Application led April 30, 1900. Serial No. 15,001. NO model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. BARTHOLE, a cil izen of the United States, residing at Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gas-Generators, (Case No. 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in gas-generators, and more particularly to such apparatus peculiarlydesigned for the generation of acetylene gas, the object of my said invention being the production of an auto- 4matically-controlled type of generator of simple construction insuring the greatest safety in irs operation. Various safeguards have previously been devised in this class of apparatus designed to reduce the liability of accident; but in none of these of which I am aware is the same degree of safety and economy of operation secured with as little complication and multiplication of parts as in my present device.

The apparatus embodying my invention, in connection with which the said invention is herein explained, may be briefly described as consisting of a common receiving-tank' wherein are disposeda plurality of receptacles adapted to receive given charges of calcium carbid. These receptacles are maintained beneath a closure device providing a permanent water seal to prevent the escape of gas from the generating-chamber thus formed. A water-supply appliance is provided in connection with the generating-chamber, which preferably is equipped With a ro-v tating or traveling discharge-pipe designed to deliver the requisite quantity ot' Watersuccessively to the several carbid-receptacles for the purpose of generating a given volume of acetylene gas.

This apparatus is associated with a gasometer of any approved type and through suitable actuating apparatus is automatically operated thereby.

My improved apparatus will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the generator and associated gasometer. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the generator of my invention. Fig. 3 is a detail of the water-supply apparatus. Figs. #l and 5 show the remov- Fig. 1, illustrating details of the mechanism for operating the water-supply apparatus. Fig. 8 is another detail thereof; and Figs. 9 to 14, inclusive, are details of said Water-su pply apparatus.

The same letters of reference are used to designate similar parts in'each of the several figures of the drawings.

By referring to Fig. l the principal features of the apparatus of my invention and the relation of the several parts each to each will be readily understood. I have therein shown upon the right a vertical sectional view through an acetylene-gas generator constructed in accordance Withmy invention, While upon the left is a similar view of an approved type of gasometer or gas-holder, With which said generatoris operatively connected. The gas-holder, I 'may here not-e, is shown upon a smaller scale merely for the purpose of exhibiting more clearly the features of my invention, no patentable improvement upon said gas-holder being herein claimed.

My improved generator is provided with a receiving-tank tof annular form, wherein are provided twelve partition-spaces b, adapted to receive a corresponding number of removablecai'bid-receptacles-c. Upon the left side of the tank a segmental opening is provided corresponding to the thirteenth space thereof, through which opening the apparatus of the generator is easily reached for adjustment and control.

Opposite the segmental opening (shown in plan, Fig. 2) is a lip or spout a', through which water is supplied to the tank a, wherein it is normally maintained at the water-level a2, above which extend the tops of the carbidreceptacles c. This supplies the Water seal for the telescoping cover d, fitting within the rank and forming the generating-chamber, which cover is removably secured in place by hinged bolts d, adapted to engage slotted ears provided upon the rim of tank ct. The inner side Wall or depending rim d2 of said cover is made somewhat shorter than the outer Wall d3 for the pn rpose of accommodating the rotating U-shaped Water-supply pipe.

Journaled Within the central opening in annular tank a is the tubular shaft e, which constitutes a part of and operates the Water- IOO supply apparatus. The upper part of said shaft is longitudinally cut away and provided with side wings c', registering with the opening f' in the supporting-cone f, mounted on the upper end of said-shaft. Situated beneath the said wings on the shaft isa funnel g, connecting with the U-shaped water-supply pipe k, which extends beneath the inner leg or depending rim oi the cover d. The end of said pipe h is provided with perforations adapted to spray the water over the charge of carbid above which it is in position.

Beneath the upper bearing of the shaft are provided respecti vely,the ratchet-wheelj and the-locking-wheel 7c, which are vtemporarily secured in position to rotate together by means of the pinj, which is adapted to exl shaft.

j, adapted to tend through registering openings provided in the respective wheels.

The locking-wheel '7c is rotatably supported on the shaft by means of a collar Za'.

Around the upper part of the tank are provided twelve water chambers or receptacles, which are adapted to receive the volu mes of water necessary to act upon the twelve separate charges of carbid disposed in the tank. These vessels or' receptacles Z are rearwardly supported by means of hooks which engage a rod Z', supported by the annular downwardly-flaring wall Z2. The inner ends of said vessels are provided with small rollers Z3, which normally ride upon the inclined surface of the supporting-cone f, carried at the upper end of the The openingf insaid cone is adapted to successively permit the passage of the supporting-rollers Z3, thereby 'causing the waterreceptacles Z, which are rearwardly supported in an over-weighted position, to tilt downward and empty their contents into the upper portion of the hollow shaft and the funnel-shaped receptacle carried thereby.

The overweighted bell-crank lever m is operatively associated with the ratchet-wheel j and locking-wheel Zo,'through the medium of which is imparted to the shaft e successive movements each corresponding to one-thirteenth ofA the arc of a circle, whereby the several charges of water contained in the vessels Z are successively emptied upon the corresponding charges 'of the carbid within the generator. A common rocking shaft ris provided for the arms m' m2 m8 of said bellcrank lever, the two former being substantially parallel and are separated upon the shaft by 'a distance represented `by the radius of ratchet-wheel j, while the latter arm is disposed upon the shaft at right angles to the said arms ml m2. The arm m of the bellcrank lever is adapted to 'enter between the teeth of the lockingwheel k, normally maintaining the shaft'against rotation, while the arm m2, moving therewith, carries a pawl move approximately one and one-half times the length of a tooth upon the said wheel j and actuate said wheel to rotate through the distance of one tooth. A U-shaped support 7'2, riding within a groove on said wheel, maintains the pawl in its posi- A tion before the teeth thereof, while a springactuated dog js permits the passage of the pawl past the extended portion of the teeth, when the-arm fm2 is actuated to move in the opposite direction to the rotation of the wheel. The relation of the arms m m2 to the locking and ratchet wheels will be clearly understood by referring to Figs. l, 6, and 8, wherein are respectively shown in a section al View through the generator the locking-arm m' clear of its locking-wheel 7c, an end view of the actuating-arm 'm2 with its associated pawl mechanism and ratchet-wheel, and a detail, partly in section, at right angles to that of Fig. l, illustrating the locking and ratchet wheels with their associated arms m' m2. The long arm m3 of the bell-crank lever extends beyond the tank in position to be engaged by an adjustable Ilug n', carried upon a spring-mounted rod, which is secured to the movable tank o and is actuated thereby to move up and down as the tank is 'lle'd and emptied.

The gasometer may be briefly described as consisting of an outer tank p, having a lower chamber p', wherein the inlet-pipe q, extending from the generator, is inaintainedbeueath a body of water, securing a water seal and serving as well to wash the acetylene gas as it flows from the generator. rFhe central rod r, surrounded by a gas-tight vsleeve r, serves as a central supporting-standard, permitting the tank o of the gasoineter to move up and down as the same is filled and emptied. A pipe t, extending above the top of the tank p, is surrounded by a perforated tube o', which when said perforations are raised above the water-line causes the gas to 'escape through the said pipe i5, thus providing an automatic blow-olf for the gasometer if through accident too great a volu me of gas is generated. Said pipe t also extends vto the generator, the extension thereof being controlled by a gascock Z, which permits the/gas under pressure within the generator to escape to the outside air when the generator is cleaned or charged.

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The service-pipe s is connected with a pipe e s', extending above the level of the tank p.

Assuming that the twelve carbid-'receptacles and the twelve water vessels have respectively been charged with the requisite amounts of carbid and water, the end of the bell-crank lever 'm3 may be manually or otherwise depressed, causing the shaft, through the medium of the ratchet-wheel, to turn through a thirteenth of its rotation, thereby permitting the roller Z3 to drop through the opening f in the supporting-cone and emptying the water contained in the first of the water vessels Z into the funnel g. A rush of water is thereby secured through the U- shaped water-supply pipe to the lirst of the lc'arbid-receptacles, and gas is immediately a comparatively gradual generation of gas,

although the mass of carbid is finally iiooded with water. As in practice the charges of carbid are calculated to produce a volume of gas sufficient to fill nine-tenths of the tank of the gas-holder, it will be seen that a reserve space is provided therein sufcient to meet ordinary needs, and in the event of accidental generation of too great a volume of gas an automatically-controlled exit is provided in the pipe t, previously described.

As will be understood,the gas Will be stored in the tank o of the gas-holder until required by ordinary use through the service-pipe s. Then a predetermined amount of gas has been used out of the gas-holder, preferably a volume corresponding to nine-tenths of its capacity, the lug n will be brought into engagement with the extended end m3 of the bell-crank lever, serving to release the locking-wheel from arm m' and actuating the pawl through the medium of arm m2 to move forward another notch, causing a repetition of the action previously described in connection with the first of the twelve water-receptacles and carbid-chambers with respect to the second set of the said devices. Thus the action of the generator will be automatically controlled by the use of gas from the gasliolder until each of the twelve charges of carbid has successively been flooded with the correspondingr charges of water.

By increasing the number of carbid-chambers and water-supply vessels it will be seen that a machine of any desired size may be constructed. I have found, however, that one providing for twelve charges is suicient to meet ordinary demands.

By reason of the constant maintenance of a water seal in my improved generator there is no likelihood of accident from explosion or escape of the gas therefrom, and because of the immersion of the several carbid-receptacles the tendency of the carbid vto heat under the action of water is largely overcome.

The bell-crank lever by providing' a locking-arm prevents the accidental overturning of any of the Watercharges upon a new charge of carbid until by reason of the consumption ofthe gas from the previous charge the said lever is actuated to unlock the shaft and simultaneously move it forward sufficiently to supply another charge of water to the next charge of carbid, as fully described. Moreover, the manner of supplying the water to the said carbid permits it to gradually flow into the carbid-chamber against the gaspressure after the ii rst rush of water caused by emptying the vessel into the funnel g, this at Iirst serving to spray a considerable quantity of water over the carbid and to start the generation of gas.

When all of the charges of carbid have been exhausted, the generator is recharged by first removing the empty water vessels releasing the cover d, and raising the same from the tank a, when the several removable carbid receptacles may be taken from the tank and respectively emptied, dried, recharged, and placed in the tank. The shaft is released from the locking-wheel by removing the pin j and is turned to secure the registration of the openingf' with the segmental space in tank a. The pin is then replaced, the cover lowered into the tank and secured in place, after which the several water vesselsl are placed in position as before and the generator is again ready for use.

From the above description ot' my improved device it will be seen that the same is simple both in construction and operation and provides against accident in a manner rendering it safe,as well as economical to operaie.

Having now described a generator embodying my invention, I claiml. In a gas-generating device, the combination with agenerating-chamber, of a plurality of receptacles within the generating-chainber, adapted to receive predetermined dividedcharges, a liquid-supply appliance associated therewith, which with the receptacles are stationarily mounted in the generator, a traveling liquid-discharge pipe adapted to be operatively connected with said liquid-supply appliance and each of the receptacles, positivelyacting auromatically-locking mecha iism associated with the liquid-supply appliance, and means for actuating the said appliance and its traveling discharge-pi pe whereby predete rmined volumes of liquid may be successively delivered to the receptacles, substantially as described. l

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a plurality of carbid-receptacles within the generating-chamber, ofv a plurality of liquid-receptacles corresponding thereto, the said receptacles being adapted respectively to receive predetermined divided charges of calcium carbid and ot' water, which receptacles are stationarily mounted in the generator, a traveling liquid-discharge pipe adapted to be operatively connected With the liquid-supply appliance and the carbid receptacles, and means for actuating the traveling discharge-pipe to operatively connect the corresponding liquid and carbid receptacles in turn, whereby predetermined volumes of water may be successively delivered to the carbid receptacles, substantially as described.

3. In an automatically-operated gas-generator, the combination with a plurality of carbid receptacles Within the generatingchamber, of a plurality of liquid-receptacles associated therewith, a traveling liquid-discharge pipe adapted to be operatively connected with corresponding receptacles, and means for emptying in turn the said liquidreceptacles and for actuating the traveling discharge-pipe, whereby predetermined vol- IOO IZO

umes of liquid may be successively delivered to the first-named receptacles, substantially as described.

4. In a gas-generating device, the combination with a generating-chamber of a plurality of liquid-receptacles, a movable supporting device adapted normally to sustain the receptacles in position to retain their contents, a positively-acting lookin g appliance associated with and adapted automatically to lock and release the movable supporting device, and means for actuating said supporting device whereby the receptacles are successively emptied of their contents into the generatingchamber, substantially as described.

5. In a gas-generating device, the combination,with a generating-chamber, of a plurality of liquid-receptacles rearwardly su pported in an overweighted position, a slotted supporting part engaging the forward ends of said receptacles, positively-acting automatic locking mechanism associated with said supporting part, means for actuating said slotted supporting part successively to release the liquid-receptacles, and a discharge appliance vadapted to deliver the liquid to the generating-chamber, substantially as described.

6. In a gas-generating device, the combination With a generating-chamber containing a plurality of receptacles, of a plurality of liquid-supply Vessels, a rotating shaft carrying a dumping device adapted successively to actuate the liquid-supply vessels and a rotatable discharge-pipe adapted to be moved into position for discharging liquid into any of said receptacles, and means for eecting the rotation of the shaft, substantially as described.

7. In a gas-generating device, the combination With a generating-chamber containing a plurality of receptacles, of a plurality of liquid-supply vessels, a rotating shaft carrying a dumping device adapted successively to actuate the liquid-supply vessels and a rotatable discharge-pipe adapted to be moved into position for discharge into any of said receptacles, a locking device adapted normally to maintain the shaft against rotation, and antomatic means for effecting the release of the locking device and the rotation of the shaft, substantially as described.

8. In a gas-generator, the combination with a water-lled receiving-tank, of a plurality of receptacles adapted to contain calcium carbid, a closure device extending beneath the Water-level of the tank, a U -shaped traveling liquid-discharge pipe extending beneath the submerged Wall of the closure device to the carbid-receptacles, a liquid-supply appliance associated With the pipe, and means for actuating said liquid-supply appliance and traveling discharge pipe, whereby successive charges of liquid may be delivered by the traveling discharge-pipe to the several carbidreceptacles, substantially as described.

9. In au acetylenegas generator, the combination With a Water-filled tank, of a plurality of carbid-receptacles disposed therein, a

cover or closure device extending beneath the Y Water-level of the tank and forming a generatorchamber, a traveling Watersupply pipe adapted successively to deliver predetermined volumesor charges of Water to the several carbid-receptacles, and automatically-controlled means for actuating the traveling water-supply pipe and for delivering predetermined charges of Water thereby to the carbid receptacles, substantially as described.

l0. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combinationwith a water-filled tank, of a plurality of carbid-receptacles disposed therein, a cover extending beneath the water-level of the tank forming a generator-chamber, a traveling discharge-pipe adapted successively to deliver predetermined volumes or charges of water to the several carbid-receptacles, a gasholder associated with the said generator, and means controlled by the movement of the gasholder for effecting the movement of the discharge pipe and (,lelivering predetermined charges of Water thereby to the carbid-receptacles, substantially as described.

l1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a Water-illed receiving-tank, of a plurality of carbid-chambers disposed therein, a closure device or cover for the tank and receptacles forming the generating-chamber, the walls thereof extending beneath the .Water-level of the tank, a plurality of water vessels corresponding to the carbid-receptacles, a rotating shaft provided with a U- shaped traveling water-supply pipe and a dumping device adapted successively to deliver the charges of Water in the Water vessels to the supply-pipe, and means automatically controlled by an associated gas-holder for effecting the rotation of the shaft Whereby the generator is automatically operated, substantially as described.

12. In an automatically-operated gas-geuerator, the combination with a generatingchamber, of a plurality of receptacles disposed therein about a central liquid-supply device, said receptacles being independent and adapted to receive divided charges, a rotatable discharge-pipe, an associated liquidsupply apparatus, a positively-acting automatic locking appliance provided in connection With the liquid-supply apparatus adapted to prevent its accidental actuation, means automatically controlled by the gas-holder, for rotating the liquid-discharge pipe and for operating the liquid-supply apparatus,where by separate charges of liquid are successively emptied over the contents of the receptacles in the generating-chamber, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of February, A. D. 1900.

CHARLES S. BARTHOLF.

J. W. SKINKLE, ALBER'J:V LYNN LAWRENCE.

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